Am I alone?

[S Hovanec]

Yea.  I'm kinda like that.  I have 6 or 7 MLXF rods I normally use and the rest of my rods sit.  I even build others and never use them.  It's a sickness.

[Columbia Craw]

I have too many.  True.  I have more flippin/punching rods than needed and a couple cranking rods as well.  Heck, I have more tackle than I’ll ever use.

[Spankey]

Bass fishing from a boat my rod and reel combos stay in great shape. Minimal rash. Even on Stuff I used in the 80’s and 90’s. 
 

But my trout fishing stuff gets hammered pretty good. Used super hard. 

[padon]

i have 21 combos, now that includes 3 fly rods for trout. i normally take 10 rods on the boat 5 on the kayak. some of those combos only get used a few times a year. like my light panfish stuff in spring for crappie and bluegill for a fish fry. or my rod that i use for big swimbaits and a rigs. yup alot of rods some get used all the time others rarely, i got my eye on a couple to add this winter though. lol most rods are in he 200 to 300 dollar range most reels about 150 -200. i dont think the super high dollar rods and reels are worth the extra expense , but i dont like the feel of the low end stuff either.

[Guitarfish]

I put off getting rid of rods and reels because it was a low priority.  I had way too much other stuff to do getting ready for my house sale.  I wrapped them up in bundles of 10 or so and they took lots of room in storage.  Now I have to move them and tons of lead and plastics, and worry about selling stuff later.

I have been retired for exactly a year and have been fishing once.  Life gets in the way.

Sold the house by the way.  I'm going to be homeless in about 23 days.  

 

[Msl819]

On 8/16/2021 at 9:51 AM, Randy Price said:

A few years ago I got a really nice bonus and bought 6-7 Legend Elites, Legend X-Tremes, and Legend Tournaments when I had the money tp spend.  Now I have too many nice rods and not enough time to enjoy them.  Just the opposite of when I was younger.

If you want to let go of some of those LTB, let me know!  

[N.Y. Yankee]

I just bought a 7' UL spin rod the other day. I dont need one, I already have one. Didnt want to spend the money, but when I picked it up, looked it over good, my hand just cramped shut and I could not put it back on the rack. Dang it, I hate when that happens! Now I have to buy a reel for it too! Funny thing is, I do more fly fishing than UL now. Never know when that might change. I gotta find a kid that really wants to fish. So now I'm up to 15 rods of different types and 8 or 9 fly rods, one Tenkara rod and a couple cane poles too. Geez.

[desmobob]

On 8/16/2021 at 4:30 PM, king fisher said:

If you think you have too many rods now whatever you do, don’t take up flyfishing

I figured I must have over a dozen fly rods.  Well, I inventoried them this spring.  I do have over a dozen.  I have 28.  

 

I guess I'll have to break down and catalog my bass rods at some point...

[ABrugs]

You are not alone! Although I just started bass fishing in 2020, I'm in a very similar spot right now. I started w/ 2 baitcasting setups last year that were each dedicated to one technique and then added 2 more baitcasting setups this year also each dedicated to specific techniques, giving me a total of 4. Through this year, I've been realizing I don't need 4 setups at all and I certainly don't need technique specific setups. I'm currently a bank angler, but will most likely be getting a boat within the next couple of years. I'm sure that will change my thought process a little bit. However and for the time being, I've decided that I will be consolidating all 4 of my setups and selling them at the end of this fishing season. I'm going to instead invest in 1 versatile setup that will throw the most common lures I use. I don't have the opportunity to fish more than once/week right now and love the idea of simplifying to 1 setup.

 

^ So, my current dilemma is figuring out if I want to stick w/ baitcasting or go back to my roots of spinning, which is what I grew up using in Michigan. FWIW, if I go the casting route, I'm eyeing a Loomis 842 MBR w/ an Aldebaran. If I go spinning, I'm looking at the 6'8 MXF St. Croix Legend X paired w/ a 2500 Stradic FL. One of the best things I've learned through my first 2 seasons is what type of bass fishing I like to do, which is what I would define as 'power finesse'. I love throwing lighter/smaller lures and primarily target smallies. I'm not sure which direction I'm going to go, but I can say w/o a doubt that I'm really excited to go from 4 setups to 1, simplify my fishing, and be more versatile.

 

This was a great post/topic by the way!

[RichF]

I have 18-20 rigs in my rotation and I use all of them (some more than others).  I have my couple favorite techniques but I enjoy catching bass on all different types of baits.  My problem is I want more but have a hard time justifying it.  I tell myself that I'll only replace, not add.  That obviously never works because I like 95% of my stuff and don't wanna get rid of it!

[islandbass]

For me, just a tad above too many. 
 

I have quantity and none super high end. Also, nothing multiple (but that would be nice) for any technique. I probably have 15 rods to cover everything from blue gill and bass to salmon and steelhead. 
 

And as mentioned, so many never see the light of day.  
 

Admittedly none of my true bass rods have seen any action in the past 2-3 seasons because the 2-piece trunk rods have been used out of convenience and practicality. 

Therefore, in conclusion, I would say to the OP that he is not alone, lol. 

 

[David 7]

I just fish with a 7ft MH spinning Ugly Stick. I fish mainly senkos so this setup is perfect for me. It’s not the lightest or most sensitive rod but it’s all I know. 

[Chris Catignani]

A good rule of thumb is to...

...have 1 rod for every year you been fishing.

[Boomstick]

I have been carrying two or three rods with me on the kayak a lot this year, with the idea when I go out, I'm hitting specific parts of the lake, maybe throwing a frog over lily pads or pitching a jig into pockets or fishing weedlines with it.

[Koz]

I think I have about a dozen rods now, but not all of them get used. My spinning gear is sitting in my rack because I prefer to use baitcasters.

 

In the past, most of my gear was $100 rods and $130 reels, but after buying a kayak this year I started upgrading my equipment as well. Nothing too extravagant, but more than I was used to spending.

 

I bought a new Lew's KVD rod, a Dobyn's, and a St. Croix. I also purchased a Lew's KVD baitcaster reel and loved it until I bought a new Shimano Curado. So now I'll probably buy another Curado with a slower gear ratio in a few weeks.

 

Normally I had out with just two rods on my kayak, but I think I'll add some rod holders and go out with three or four. When fishing from the bank I don't mind tying on new baits, but it's kind of a pain doing it on a kayak. It would be easier to set up at one or two rods for soft plastics before I head out on the water.

[Deleted account]

I own probably 300 setups (all types, salt and fresh, not just bass) and fish with the same 2-6 of each type most years, so yeah, I own too many....

[bulldog1935]

I fish way too many niches - from river bass in limestone creeks to offshore.  

Mostly fishing from a kayak, there's no room for 10 rods - 3 is about all that won't get in the way.  

It may be a couple of bass rod ranges, inshore lure weights, maybe lengths for tide passes and flats.  

I keep 3-pc all-around back-ups including bait, spin and fly in the kayak hold.  

 

My rigs tend to be focused and, where I use them most often, higher-grade tackle, especially reels that will fit between multiple niches and different rods.  

Where I've bought inexpensive was cleaning up on venerable glass fly rods from the '70s (ebay) because they fit so well in limestone creeks.  

[mrpao]

1 hour ago, BassWhole! said:

I own probably 300 setups (all types, salt and fresh, not just bass) and fish with the same 2-6 of each type most years, so yeah, I own too many....

Whoah. That's a large amount of gear.

I thought I had a decent arsenal.

I'm interested to see how you keep it all organized.

[Deleted account]

5 minutes ago, mrpao said:

I'm interested to see how you keep it all organized.

Zero organization involved, they are leaning up against the wall in 3 garages, and 2 spare bed rooms.

[mrpao]

6 minutes ago, BassWhole! said:

Zero organization involved, they are leaning up against the wall in 3 garages, and 2 spare bed rooms.

I have nine different rod racks that I use for my rods.

Some stand alone and some wall mounted. Still barely enough room for my stuff.

[redmeansdistortion]

Sheesh, where do I start?  While I don't have as many combos as some here, I do have a sizable amount.  I dunno if I'd even call them combos because I don't often use the same reel with the same rod, just depends on what I'm feeling before I hit the water and what I'm planning on throwing.  I typically carry only one setup with me since I'm fishing in waders most of the time and value mobility. 

[ajschn06]

On 8/16/2021 at 9:12 AM, Randy Price said:

I grew up with 1 fishing rod until my mid 30's.  A friend introduced me to St. Croix AVID rods and Shimano Stradic reels back in 2000 and I've never been the same.  I've since purchased almost 20 high end AVID or higher SC rods.  Now when I go fishing (multi species I generally only take 2-3 rods) and the rest just sit.  I'm making a short story long but does anyone else have too many rods and they're not even really enjoying or using them?  I've thought of selling some but I then think I might have sellers remorse.  Thoughts/help????

I have enough problems trying to decide what to throw with only three rods.... if I had any more I'd drive myself crazy...

[LeoSolo]

On 8/16/2021 at 7:51 AM, Randy Price said:

A few years ago I got a really nice bonus and bought 6-7 Legend Elites, Legend X-Tremes, and Legend Tournaments when I had the money tp spend.  Now I have too many nice rods and not enough time to enjoy them.  Just the opposite of when I was younger.

If you arer looking to get rid of one of those legend elites or Xtremes...spinning..I'm looking for one! 

[Gazz]

I started to collect more than I would use so I started to just replace or upgrade as opposed to adding. I have 7 main setups that cover almost every application I could need aside from big swimbaits and stuff. I take all of them out with me and I often cycle through them trying different thing. If I find something I really like or decide I don’t love a rod in my arsenal then I will get what I want and either sell the current one or donate it/sell it real cheap to a buddy that doesn’t have the greatest gear. I keep my lineup reasonable and still get to satisfy my need for new gear. That being said, I don’t get rid of something if I really like it even if I am adding something. I am actually in the process of looking into St Croixs Avid X and higher and if you are interested in getting rid of any I’d love to hear what you’re looking for. An MH/XF is likely what I need. I’m new to St Croix and have been told over and over that they are a more moderate rod so go XF for things like t rigs jigs and all around. 

[rtwvumtneer6]

If I really break it down I have 7 casting and 2 spinning rod/reels that account for the majority of my bass fishing.  A few are "multi-purpose" and others are technique specific or seasonal, but each serves its purpose.  

 

I have a few extra rods and reels that are stored away as emergency back-ups or retired, and I keep a couple older combos set up for the occasional catfish, panfish or trout session. 

 

In my system, I can take 6 rods into a tournament situation and feel comfortable that my basic needs are met (assuming I am familiar with the body of water).  

 

As far as brand is concerned, my buying habits have changed.  I used to be all over the place trying different makes and models.  More recently I have leaned heavily toward one reel manufacturer and two rod makers.